Electronic check image storage and retrieval system

• US 6,181,837 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1994
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: McMonagle, John J., Sferra, Richard H., Levine, Glenn, Goldfisher, Saul, Wilson, Philip, Koroteyev, Vladimir, Cahill, Thomas, McNulty, Louise A.
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/342,265
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 382/137, 382/138, 382/139, 382/140, 382/305, 382/311, 382/310, 382/115, 395/616, 707/102, 707/204
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method and apparatus for storing and retrieving images of documents, e.g. checks. The method comprises placing a plurality of documents in a document imaging machine and forming an electronic image of each document, storing each electronic image in an electronic storage device, providing at least one user interface device in communication on a communication link with the electronic storage device, placing a request for at least one document image on the user interface device, transmitting the request by the communication link to the electronic storage device, searching the electronic storage device for the requested electronic image of the document, retrieving the at least one electronic image or providing an indication that the image was not found, storing the electronic image, if found, in an electronic file, for transmission to the user interface device at user option, providing the electronic image to the user interface device at command of a user at the user interface device for storage at the user interface device and displaying the requested electronic image on a display of the user interface device. Preferably, the electronic, images are stored with embedded identifying information in a TIFF® (trademark of Aldus Corp.) file format and the check images can be displayed on a display device which permits the user to view both sides of the checks simultaneously and perform functions such as zooming and rotation of the images.

Claims

1. A method for storing and retrieving images of documents comprising:

placing a plurality of documents in a document imaging machine and forming an electronic image of each document;

storing each electronic image in an electronic storage device;

providing at least one user interface device in communication on a communication link with said electronic storage device;

placing a request for at least one document image on said user interface device;

transmitting said request by said communication link to said electronic storage device;

searching said electronic storage device for the requested electronic image of the document;

retrieving said at least one electronic image or providing an indication that said image was not found;

storing said electronic image, if found, in an electronic file, for transmission to said user interface device at user option;

providing the electronic image to said user interface device at command of a user at the user interface device for storage at the user interface device;

displaying the requested electronic image on a display of the user interface device;

wherein the documents comprise checks each having a magnetic ink code line thereon, and further comprising electronically reading and decoding said magnetic ink code line to form decoded magnetic ink coded data and wherein said step of storing comprises merging said electronic image and said decoded magnetic ink coded data into a tagged image file format (TIFF) file, with the decoded magnetic ink coded data stored in a tag field in the TIFF file, each check being associated with a TIFF file, and storing the TIFF file in the electronic storage device;

checking for errors in said decoded magnetic ink coded data;

correcting the decoded magnetic ink coded data comprising;

determining if the decoded data requires correction;

assigning a specified character to characters requiring correction in the decoded data;

displaying the uncorrected decoded data on a display device with the specified character replacing characters requiring correction;

entering data to replace the specified characters;

replacing the specified characters with the entered data;

checking if the number of characters in the data entered is equal to the number of specified characters and if so replacing only the specified characters with the entered data;

if the number of characters in the data entered is less than the number of specified characters, replacing all the decoded data with the entered data; and

if the number of characters in the entered data is greater than the decoded data, generating a warning message to confirm that the entered data is longer than the decoded data prior to replacing the decoded data with the entered data.

2. Apparatus for storing and retrieving images of documents comprising:

a document imaging machine for receiving a plurality of documents and forming an electronic image of each document;

an electronic storage device for storing each electronic image;

a user interface device in communication on a communication link with said electronic storage device;

the user interface device having an input device for placing a request for at least one document image and for transmitting the request on the communication link to the electronic storage device;

a computer for searching said electronic storage device for the requested electronic image of the document and for retrieving said at least one electronic image or providing an indication that said image was not found;

an electronic file for storing said electronic image, if found, for transmission to said user interface device at user option;

the computer adapted to provide the electronic image to said user interface device at command of a user at the user interface device for storage at the user interface device;

a display for displaying the requested electronic image at the user interface device;

wherein the documents comprise checks each having a magnetic ink code line thereon, and further comprising a magnetic ink code reader for decoding said magnetic ink code line to form decoded magnetic ink coded data, and further comprising a memory comprising a tagged image file format (TIFF) file having said electronic image merged with the decoded magnetic ink coded data, with the decoded magnetic ink coded data stored in a tag field in the TIFF file, each check being associated with a TIFF file, the TIFF file being stored in the electronic storage device;

a computer for checking said decoded magnetic ink coded data for errors;

means for correcting the decoded magnetic ink coded data comprising;

means for determining if the decoded data requires correction;

means for assigning a specified character to characters requiring correction in the decoded data;

a display for displaying the uncorrected decoded data with the specified character replacing characters requiring correction;

an input device for entering data to replace the specified characters;

means for replacing the specified characters with the entered data;

means for;

checking if the number of characters in the data entered is equal to the number of specified characters and if so replacing only the specified characters with the entered data;

if the number of characters in the data entered is less than the number of specified characters, replacing all the decoded data with the entered data; and

if the number of characters in the entered data is greater than the decoded data, generating a warning message to confirm that the entered data is longer than the decoded data prior to replacing the decoded data with the entered data.

3. Apparatus for storing and retrieving images of documents comprising:

a document imaging machine receiving a plurality of documents for forming an electronic image of each document;

an electronic storage device for storing each electronic image;

a user interface device in communication on a communication link with said electronic storage device;

means for placing a request for at least one document image on said user interface device;

means for transmitting said request over said communication link to said electronic storage device;

means for searching said electronic storage device for the requested electronic image of the document;

means for retrieving said at least one electronic image or providing an indication that said image was not found;

means for storing said electronic image, if found, in an electronic file, for transmission to said user interface device at user option;

means for providing the electronic image to said user interface device at command of a user at the user interface device for storage at the user interface device;

a display for displaying the requested electronic image at the user interface device;

wherein the documents comprise checks each having a magnetic ink code line thereon, and further comprising means for electronically reading and decoding said magnetic ink code line to form decoded magnetic ink coded data, and further comprising a memory comprising means for storing said electronic image and said decoded magnetic ink coded data merged into a tagged image file format (TIFF) file, with the decoded magnetic ink coded data stored in a tag field in the TIFF file, each check being associated with a TIFF file, the TIFF file being stored in the electronic storage device;

means for checking said decoded magnetic ink coded data for errors;

wherein the means for checking for errors comprises means for determining if the number of errors is above a threshold and, if the number of errors is greater than zero but below the threshold, for flagging the check for correction; and

if the number of errors is greater than the threshold for providing said checks for repass processing; and

wherein said means for checking for errors further comprises optical character recognition (OCR) means for forming optically decoded data and means for comparing said optically decoded data for consistency, and if there is a lack of consistency, flagging the respective document for correction.